Rotterdam Port Builds 96 MW Floating Solar Farm on Water

A massive solar farm will soon float on water in Rotterdam, transforming an unlikely spot into a clean energy powerhouse.

The port of Rotterdam is building a 96 megawatt floating solar array on the De Slufter dredging depot, where contaminated materials from the harbor are stored. The solar panels will cover 80 hectares of water surface, roughly the size of 112 soccer fields.

Sun Float Power, a partnership between Dutch companies DevCap Infra and Solinoor plus Germany's Enerparc, won the contract to develop the project in March 2025. The consortium will build and operate the array, which should be complete by 2027.

Once running, the floating farm will generate 87 gigawatt hours of electricity each year. That's enough to power 30,000 households, giving local families access to clean energy grown right in their backyard.

The project solves two problems at once. The surrounding area faces serious grid congestion, meaning no room exists to add more power to the network. Instead of fighting for grid space, this solar farm will send electricity directly to nearby businesses.

"This creates local added value and the solar farm will not put additional strain on the electricity grid," the Port of Rotterdam announced. Companies in the port area get reliable clean power, and the regional grid avoids overload.

Even better, most people won't even see it. The dredging depot sits behind a protective ring dike that hides nearly the entire site from view. Rotterdammers can enjoy the benefits without visual impact on their landscape.

The Ripple Effect

This project represents just the beginning of floating solar's potential in the Netherlands. Research from Wood Mackenzie predicts the country could deploy 1 gigawatt of floating solar capacity by 2033, more than ten times this Rotterdam installation.

The solar farm springs from a smart national initiative called Energy Generation on Central Government Real Estate. The program identifies government-owned land and water that could host renewable energy projects, making every square meter count toward climate goals.

Rotterdam's array will rank among Europe's largest floating solar systems when completed. France currently holds the record with a 74.3 megawatt project that opened last June. Slovenia plans an even bigger 140 megawatt site starting construction this year.

Globally, floating solar is taking off. Analysts expect worldwide capacity to hit 77 gigawatts by 2033, led by India, China and Indonesia. These nations recognize that floating panels preserve valuable farmland while generating clean electricity.

The Netherlands proves that creative thinking turns limitations into opportunities, one floating panel at a time.